1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner recovery device, which conveys residual toner after transfer removed by cleaning means to a toner recovery section, a process cartridge comprising this toner recovery device, and an image forming apparatus comprising the toner recovery device or the process cartridge.
2. Description of the Background Art
There is known a toner recovery device, which uses cleaning means to remove residual toner after transfer remaining on a surface of an image supporting body after transferring a toner image on the image supporting body to a recording medium, and conveys the removed residual toner after transfer from the cleaning means to a toner recovery section for storing the residual toner after transfer. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3281595 describes the following toner recovery device. Specifically, an endless groove is provided on a side frame of a process cartridge, a side plate is then fixed to the surface of the side frame on which the groove is formed, and the groove is covered with the side plate, whereby a toner-conveying pipe is formed. A carry-in section to which residual toner after transfer is carried from cleaning means is installed below the toner-conveying pipe, and this carry-in section is provided with a continuous hole communicating with the cleaning means. Also, a carry-out section, which is provided with a continuous hole communicating with the toner recovery section, is disposed above the toner-conveying pipe. Moreover, an endless toner-conveying belt provided with a plurality of protruding sections on an outer peripheral surface thereof is stored so as to be able to move along the groove. The residual toner after transfer, which is carried from the cleaning means into the carry-in section, is drawn up by means of protrusions of a transfer conveying belt as the toner-conveying belt moves, and the residual toner after transfer is then conveyed to the carry-out section located above the carry-in section. The residual toner after transfer, which is conveyed to the carry-out section by the toner-conveying belt, falls from the carry-out section to the toner recovery section, and is thereby collected into the toner recovery section.
However, in this conventional technology, when the toner-conveying belt is oscillated by oscillation of a drive section of the toner-conveying belt, the oscillation is transmitted to the residual toner after transfer supported on the toner-conveying belt. As a result, the residual toner after transfer supported on the toner-conveying belt oscillates, and thereby spills out of a space between the protruding sections and an inner wall of the toner-conveying pipe because of the weight of the residual toner after transfer. Therefore, there was a problem that the amount of toner supported on the toner-conveying belt is reduced in the middle of conveyance and that the amount of toner to be conveyed to the toner carry-out section is reduced.
Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-073078 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-258896.